By Michael Guerin
Ricky May hopes his fill-in driving proves a bit more productive at Addington tonight.
Little Ricky is filling in for Big Johnny (aka John Dunn) while the latter is having a working holiday overseas and that means key drives like Triple G in the main pace, the Georgia Anderson Happy 21st Birthday Mobile Pace (8.36pm) and Better Be Quick in the It’s Time to Book With Woodlands Mobile Pace for the fillies and mares at 7.59pm.
While May is stoked to be warming the seat on a couple of serious winning chances he admits he’d like to see Triple G take a step up after his comeback third placing two weeks ago.
“He was a touch disappointing,” says May.
“But he was fresh up and I am sure there will be improvement in him this week.”
Triple G has been a hard horse to follow, having raced in everything from good age group races and Methven Cups to handicap races at Westport and early in his career you could have expected him to have won more than five races by now.
But he gets his chance tonight as his easy last-start conqueror Our Shangri Lana (R7, No.9) has drawn the outside of the front line and there may be reluctance to see her burn and hand up as she did last start.
So Triple G should end up forward if not leading again and if he has improved as his catch driver hopes then he might make it to the winner’s circle for the sixth time in his career.
Better Be Quick was beaten by a smart debutante in Desert Dancer last start in the sort of performance that makes you wonder how she is still a maiden after 13 starts.
But her time looks near and May thinks she too can improve this week and be hard to beat.
Earlier in the night May starts the programme with what he rates one of his better chances in Mighty Flying Lou.
The four-year-old had won two trials before resuming with a solid third last start and looks perfectly placed in the opener, albeit with no great spoil for punters paying just $1.70.
“He has to be one of my best for the night,” says May.
One of the more competitive races tonight is Race 4, the Avon City Ford Mobile Pace (6.46pm) which sees three impressive last start winners in Caught The Eye, Joyride and Moonlite Blood as well as others who are not destined to be stuck in this grade so it should be a good form race to follow.
